Who I’m Remembering: Lucy Donoghue

On 4 August 2014 Prince Harry lead a moving tribute to those who served on the home and fighting fronts during the First World War, held in St Symphorien military cemetery. During the Ceremony he read out a moving letter from Private Michael Lennon, an Irish Fusilier killed at Gallipoli. Our very own Lucy Donoghue shares why she too will be remembering Private Lennon.

On 4 August, I remembered Private Michael Lennon, of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. I recently read his beautiful letters, held in IWM’s archive. He wrote to his brother Frank and nephew ‘Little Frankie’ about his time in Cork waiting to be posted, his journey to and his time in Gallipoli.nike air max 90 shoes

Private Lennon’s letters to Frank

On 30th May 1915, he wrote ‘Well Frank, I suppose we are for it tomorrow, if we don’t get shelled on the way… I can only hope that we have all the luck to come through the night and if I should get bowled out – well it can’t be helped. I shall pack up to the place ‘Where falls not rain, nor hail, nor any snow, and where the wind never blows loudly’, but as I have said before, I am looking for something better than that and I shall see you again when the job is done.’

On 1 June, 1915 he wrote ‘Still in the pink and a bit nearer to the shells that are flying about. Had a stroll to the top of the hill (and I don’t mean Derby Road) this morning and could see the shots exchanged between the combatants, while the big guns are going every now and again …This is a wonderful place Frank, like a World’s Fair, with all the men of different nationalities…I only hope that I come back to tell little Frankie all about it.’

Killed at Gallipoli

Private Michael Lennon died on 28 June 1915 – exactly a year after the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and he is commemorated at Helles. The wife of ‘Little Frankie’ kindly gave the letters, kept my the family for years, to IWM’s archive in the 1990’s so that Michael would be remembered by future generations.